


until the flowers bloom again

by jjxneus



Category: ONEUS (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, First Meetings, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Ice Cream, Light Angst, M/M, Magical Realism, Sleepy Cuddles, Slow Burn, Stargazing, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26699986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjxneus/pseuds/jjxneus
Summary: Throughout their encounters this week, their interactions, no matter how small - whether it's their short conversations while in line at the same coffee shop or waving to each other from across the field - Geonhak finds himself holding onto each one, seeking them out.It dawns on him then, far too late, that there is no way he can undo just how much he likes Xion.Geonhak didn’t expect much with this countryside vacation - only some fresh air and a much-needed break from the stresses of college. He gets all that and more - a vacation accompanied by the experience of falling in love with the guardian of Spring as the flowers bloom around them.
Relationships: Kim Geonhak | Leedo/Son Dongju | Xion
Comments: 6
Kudos: 60
Collections: WEUS Harvest Moon Fest





	until the flowers bloom again

**Author's Note:**

> this was for prompt #125: a college student (geonhak) stumbling upon the embodiment/guardian of spring (dongju) during a trip to a countryside
> 
> this was an incredibly fun fic to write and it was SO much fun to create this little universe  
> if the prompter is reading this: I really hope that you like this!! thank you so much for submitting this prompt I loved it and I hope you don't mind that I kinda ran a little wild with the worldbuilding and fantasy elements
> 
> and an extra special thank you to the mods of this fest for all your hard work and patience and dedication to organising and running this event <333

**Day 0**

Geonhak awakens on the bus with his suitcase still firmly tucked between his knees as he blinks the sleep from his eyes. It’s twilight as the bus rolls into the countryside town where he’ll be staying for his vacation for the next two months, the sun casting a warm orange glow through the window until he turns his head to glance out. 

His gaze meets that of a deer. A deer with piercing silver eyes that seem to bore holes in his soul and he stiffens in his seat. There’s something about that gaze that turns his insides to ice, chilling him to the bone, and he shivers despite the warmth of the last remnants of the sun’s glow beaming down on him through the bus window. It feels like a challenge or a warning in lieu of a greeting or a welcome. 

Geonhak lifts his hands to tug his jacket closer to his body, tighter around him, as if that will protect him from the glare. For a moment, he wonders if it was a mistake to come here, but then the deer turns and runs off back into the forest, and he’s left staring at the flowers blooming across the field. 

**Day 2**

The deer returns a few days later, on the morning of his second full day in this town. Geonhak stands in the kitchen, a tired haze fogging his mind as he carries his plate and glass to the sink after his breakfast. Settling in was easier than he’d expected, a fresh change of pace to the college life he had become accustomed to back home. He feels calmer here, yet the worries of being in a new place still lingers as the anxieties of studying are replaced with the anxieties of navigating an unfamiliar town. 

He hums to himself as he washes up, running the sponge over the plate in a repetitive motion as he rocks back and forth on his toes. He glances up at the window just above the sink, eager to get another glimpse of the open field behind the house, the morning sun shining upon the dew that adorns the grass and leaves like tiny jewels. He swallows thickly as he meets the gaze of the deer again- the _stag-_ he realises as his eyes travel up and take note of the majestic antlers. Geonhak blinks rapidly, unsure of how he missed them the first time, and meets the stag’s gaze. The stag’s shining silver gaze, almost a glare with the intensity of it and how it stares at him. 

Geonhak drags his eyes away and back to its antlers with effort, the feeling of its eyes on him almost magnetic, as if forcing him to make eye contact again. Little flowers and vines twist over the antlers, green and purple and pink and blue, blooming and swaying along to the breeze. The stag itself has cinnamon fur and from this angle Geonhak can’t see if it has any patterning but there’s a shine to the fur- almost a glow to the entire deer. He doesn’t realise his hands have stopped cleaning the plate he’s holding, all his attention is on the stag as it never once stops staring at him - he’s not even sure if he’s seen it blink. 

Its hooves step in place, as if hesitating, thinking about whether or not to approach - whether or not Geonhak is a threat. He can’t help but glance down and his breath stops in his throat as he watches. With each step, each moment of contact of a delicate hoof and the grass, there is no mistaking the flowers that begin to sprout and blossom from the soil. The stag stops moving, freezing completely still, but small white flowers continue to spring forth around its hooves, reaching for the sky. 

Geonhak turns to the side to put the clean plate and glass on the drying rack, unable to shake the sense of unease that has settled itself around his shoulders. But when he turns back, the stag is gone and all that’s left is a trail of flowers leading to the edge of the forest. 

**Day 5**

He shivers as a slight breeze blows through the field, tilting his head as he leans back on his hands, legs spread out on the grass. The sun is obscured by clouds, fluffy and grey, hints of a storm on its way, but its warmth is still there - he just has to chase it. Geonhak lets himself relax, lets himself enjoy the moment. He’s far enough from the street that the sounds of cars passing by is faint, but close enough to the group of kids playing in the grass off to the side a few metres away that their happy cheers and yells carries and travels over. 

It’s a moment of peace that he lets himself appreciate, soaking in as much of the sun as he can before he has to head back and start preparing dinner. A blue butterfly flutters past and he follows it with his eyes, having to turn his head when it keeps flying. He loses it as it continues on, unable to find it in the distance even when he squints. 

His gaze refocuses as he spots someone else, sitting on the other side of the field to him and the group of kids. Geonhak tilts his head and stares, this person seems young from this distance, dark hair contrasting with light clothing as they lie down on their back and spread their arms out. Geonhak can’t help but laugh a little to himself although worry soon replaces the amusement - the air has grown colder, a little harsher, and he feels a little off balance as he stands up to leave. It’s as if the field itself has suddenly shifted and he finds himself in a rush to leave - although he can’t pinpoint _why_ exactly. 

When he glances over at the mysterious stranger, they’re staring back at him as he makes his way back to the street. He feels their eyes on him until his footsteps reach the pavement and the sound of his shoes against the concrete snaps him out of his haze. 

**Day 8**

The mornings are quiet, peaceful, he’s up just after the sun and ready to go on a jog or a walk before he starts his day. The sky is still slightly grey, not as vibrant blue yet, as if a blanket of sleep is washed over the entire town. He likes it - he enjoys the feeling as he gets to watch the whole place wake up slowly, piece by piece, brick by brick. 

It’s a cold morning, even colder for him because he’s been sweating - he’s just rounding the corner to make his way back to the house when the field catches his eye. He has to jog past it in order to get back but what he sees makes him freeze with one foot raised just as he’s crossed the road. 

There, sitting on the grass in the middle of the field, is that same figure, person, again leaning back on their hands in the grass and surrounded by animals - from this distance, Geonhak can see a deer and what appear to be several rabbits and birds. In a smooth motion that sends chills down his spine, all of them turn their heads at the same time to stare at him - all the animals included. It’s perhaps the most terrified he’s ever felt but his immediate thought is that hey, if this is how he perishes, he won’t have to pay off all his student loans, right? But then the animals all turn back, disinterested, ignoring him once more, and the moment shatters like glass in the morning light. 

But the figure keeps staring. 

Even despite the distance that separates them, Geonhak can _feel_ the same magnetism and anticipation that he felt when he made eye contact with the stag from days ago. It keeps him motionless, rooted to the spot, intimidated. Unlike with the stag, however, Geonhak maintains eye contact. His breath catches in his throat as he rocks back and forth on his heels - there’s something about this person that makes him stop, makes him want to step forward and close the distance between them, he wants to walk over and start a conversation. It’s a cold morning and they’re sitting in the middle of the open field without a jacket to keep warm - should he ask them if they’re okay? 

But then they turn their head, return to playing and talking with the animals that sit around them as if surrounding someone they revere, and Geonhak’s anxiety kicks back in. 

He can’t initiate interactions, couldn’t start a conversation to save his life without nerves overwhelming him - so he turns as well, and continues on his way back to his house with an odd warmth and feeling in his chest that he can’t quite place. 

**Day 11**

It’s a few minutes after noon when he sees the stranger yet again, spotting them from the window of the house, sitting in the field hugging their knees as they watch the clouds. This time he knows for certain it’s cold outside - he’d avoided leaving the house for that exact reason. His body may be like a furnace, but it’s still too cold outside for him and for Spring. He furrows his eyebrows, trying and failing to not stare, until he sighs and makes a decision. He rummages through his suitcase and pulls out a soft blue blanket, still fluffy and warm in his arms as he makes his way to the front door. 

He grimaces as he steps outside, wishing he’d remembered to put on a jacket but too determined to turn back now. Geonhak makes his way to the field quickly, hugging the blanket close to his chest to keep himself warm as he spots the mysterious stranger still sitting on the grass. He approaches them cautiously, carefully- he’s a few steps away when they turn and stare at him, one eyebrow raised. 

Oh no. They’re _cute._

Geonhak can already feel a blush creep its way up his neck to his cheeks and the tips of his ears, he’s too awkward for this. He holds the blanket out with both hands and smiles, words stuck in his throat. 

“Uh, hey.” He manages. 

“Hey?” The stranger replies, voice lower than Geonhak had expected. He looks young, with cute cheeks and pretty silver eyes that- wait. Silver eyes. Geonhak has to blink a few times to make sure he isn’t seeing things. 

“Uh.” He scrunches his nose, wow this is embarrassing. “It’s- Aren’t you cold? I- Here, take this.” 

He holds the blanket out again, unfurling it and letting it drape over the mysterious boy’s shoulders. Thankfully, the awkwardness of the moment far outweighs the cold that hits him suddenly, chilling him to the bone, even as the boy squints up at him with suspicion. 

“Thank you?” He says, before turning away to look back up at the clouds. After a second he turns back to raise an eyebrow at Geonhak, “Do you want to sit down?” 

Geonhak shakes his head, mumbles an excuse incoherently under his breath - something about no he has to get back home to do some schoolwork, and makes his way back to the house with his heart pounding in his chest - it’s definitely not because he finds the stranger attractive, no, definitely not. 

**Day 20**

He pushes his sunglasses up higher on his nose, huffing out a laugh as he’s tugged forward by the little white dog he’s walking. Sunny ignores him and struggles to run forward again, little paws kicking up dirt as they cross through the park. It’s only for this week and the next that he’s taken on this job while Sunny’s owner has business to attend to; meetings during the day and something to do with producing music for a new album- Geonhak hadn’t quite gotten all the details. 

They pause at a bench, Geonhak taking the moment to rest for a moment while Sunny leaps up to sit beside him, little tail wagging frantically as they pant. He’s just turned to glance at his phone for a moment when he hears someone coo and Sunny barks out a greeting. The mystery boy that he’s been seeing around the entire month has walked over - seemingly appeared out of thin air - and pets Sunny happily, scratching behind the little dog’s ears. 

“So you’re the one who’s gonna be walkin’ Sunny, huh?” 

It takes Geonhak more time than he’d like to admit to realise he’s being spoken to. 

“Yeah, just for this week and next.” He nods, “You know Sunny?” 

The stranger laughs, he lifts a hand to his face to cover his mouth but Geonhak can still catch a glimpse of the way his lips pull up into the heart shape of his gummy smile. It’s painfully adorable and unfairly attractive. Oh god, Geonhak is so doomed. 

_“Everyone_ knows Sunny,” He answers, “Sunny’s like, the town’s collective baby.” His voice raises in pitch as he smiles down at the dog, “Aren’t you, Sunny? You’re so spoiled by everyone.” 

He stands up again, blushing lightly as his eyes meet Geonhak’s, as if he had only just remembered that Geonhak was there. His silver eyes catch the sunlight, shining, almost glowing as he stares with an expression, an emotion, that Geonhak can’t read- but he likes it. 

When he next speaks, Geonhak thinks he catches a peek of sharp fangs and white against his pink lips. He’s ridiculously pretty in a way that stops Geonhak in his tracks, draws him in, makes him listen, makes him want to know more about this mysterious stranger. 

“Which means you have to spoil Sunny too, give lots of treats, take care of them.” The boy nods, the air growing cold for a split second as he continues, “Or else.” 

Then he walks off as if nothing happened, the Spring warmth rushes back in and Geonhak can only blink and stare at the spot where he had just been standing. It isn’t until after he’s brought Sunny back home - the little dog running inside excitedly - that Geonhak realises he forgot to ask for the stranger’s name. 

**Day 27**

He’s walking Sunny again when he finally _properly_ meets the mysterious boy beyond more than a polite smile and nod as they pass each other on the sidewalk beside the field. They’re approaching the end of their walk, just a few metres away from home, when Sunny strains against the leash. Geonhak doesn’t have enough time to tighten his hold on it when Sunny makes a dash for the forest, chasing after something that Geonhak couldn’t see. He curses under his breath and runs in after the little dog, shouting their name as he skips over tree roots and ducks under branches. 

He follows the glimpses of fluffy white fur, the loud rustling of leaves only white noise to his ears. He can’t ignore the faint sounds of giggling, however, the playful tone travelling through the air and through the soil beneath his shoes. The trees seem to part for him as he chases after Sunny but he thinks nothing of it, assuming that Sunny was simply choosing the easiest path to whatever they were chasing. 

Foreign words fall on his ears, sending shivers down his spine, as the rustling leaves of the trees towering above him begin to sound like whispers. It’s midday, light should be falling through the canopy and hitting the area around him, but the air feels thick, and the world grows darker the further he goes. Geonhak takes a shaky breath in, now certain that he’s seen the trees lift their roots like legs and step out of his way. Sunny seems to have stopped running just up ahead, sitting down patiently and staring at something that Geonhak still can’t see. 

He manages to finally catch up, clicking his tongue as he brushes loose leaves and twigs out of the little dog’s fur. Sunny licks his hand before turning back to stare at a cut down tree stump in front of them. Geonhak glances behind him, expecting to see the large gap between two trees that he had just passed through - instead, the trees are pressed up against each other, branches tangling together to form a wall. Panic rises in his chest as he looks around and he scoops Sunny up into his arms while turning on the spot - the trees are definitely moving, he realises, some slinking forward while others are lumbering backwards to make room, but they are all coming together to trap him. 

“Oh.” A familiar voice remarks, “It’s just you.” 

Geonhak turns back towards the tree stump and finds himself at a loss of words, the breath knocked out of him, stolen by the wind. The mysterious boy strides forward, the trees parting to let him through, and he lifts up the flowing fabric of his dress as he steps up onto the stump. It trails behind him, smooth and white and adorned with little roses that curl up from the hem. Sheer fabric, almost like lace, drapes over his shoulders like a cape that connects to the collar and straps of the dress. Those beautiful silver eyes of his stare at Geonhak with disinterest, pretty pink lips in a pout as he lifts a hand to sweep his brown hair back away from his face. Two antlers, adorned with freesias, stick up proudly atop his head. He’s beautiful and otherworldly, illuminated from above by the sunlight that falls on him perfectly. 

“Just me?” Geonhak echoes. 

“Just you.” 

“Were you expecting someone else?” He asks, “And I didn’t get your name, you know, last week. I meant to ask.” he adds. “I’m Geonhak.” 

“You will call me Xion.” The boy answers, “This forest is mine. The fact that the trees let you in at all...” He sighs loudly, dramatically. 

There’s an undercurrent of venom in his voice, smooth and tempting, low and commanding, drawing Geonhak in further and further. 

“The forest is _yours?”_ Geonhak asks. 

Xion squints his eyes at him and makes a face, “There are four guardians and I’m one of them.” His voice softens as he continues, “I’m the guardian of Spring; I embody it. This forest is my home.” 

“So the animals and everything..?” 

“I watch over them,” Xion answers, “and they lend me their form sometimes. No biggie.” 

The change in tone is jarring, as if the guardian is only putting on an act of formality, a facade or a mask to guard against a stranger. Geonhak relaxes his shoulders, pulling them back to make himself as unthreatening as possible. Then Xion’s words fully register in his mind-

“Wait- Were _you_ that deer staring at me when I got here weeks ago?” 

“Maybe.” Xion shrugs his shoulders and takes a small step forward. “Maybe not.” 

Geonhak holds Sunny closer to his chest protectively as Xion folds his legs up on the stump, sitting down and crossing them as he hastily moves aside his robes and his dress. The fabric crosses over his chest where a pink jewel sits just over his collarbones, holding all the material in place. 

“But- You might actually be okay.” The guardian mutters, “For a human, at least.” 

“You… don’t like humans?” Geonhak takes a half step back. 

Xion rolls his eyes, “If I didn’t, that entire town you’re living in wouldn’t still be standing.” 

The sinister tone of his words is accentuated only by the smile that he gives Geonhak. 

“That’s terrifying, thanks.” Geonhak breathes out, halfway torn between being intimidated and finding the Spring guardian attractive. 

Xion’s smile only grows wider. 

“So what makes me different, huh?” 

A range of emotions flicker across Xion’s face as he gnaws on his lip before finally answering, “Nothing. I just don’t know you like I know the others so my expectations were low.” 

He doesn’t sound so sure though, huffing the words out carefully, as if they aren’t what he truly wants to say. Confidence he didn’t realise he had surges up in Geonhak and he adjusts his hold on Sunny as he grins. 

“Is this your way of saying you want to be friends?” 

“It’s my way of saying I don’t know you that well.” Xion huffs, lifting a hand to brush his fringe out of his eyes.

“But would you want to?” Geonhak tilts his head to the side, like a confused puppy but with a smile, “It sounds like you want to.” 

“Would _you_ want to be friends with me?” Xion frowns, “You don't know me."

"I'd like to," Geonhak answers, "and that's kinda the point of wanting to be friends, you know - _because_ I don't know you yet."

Xion pouts in a way that could not be described as anything other than cute before he waves his hand in Geonhak’s direction and there’s a loud rustling of leaves as the trees behind him drag their roots up and move aside - forming a path, an exit. Geonhak watches in awe as the trees part, towering trunks and thick branches moving aside, leaves drooping down to form almost walls that give him no other path to follow. 

When he turns back to face Xion, the guardian is nowhere to be seen. 

**Day 28**

He wakes up to frantic knocking at the front door followed by incessant looping of the doorbell, playing halfway through before the button is pressed again and the little melody restarts. Geonhak groans as he stumbles out of bed, flinching as his bare feet meet the cold wooden floor as he tries to find his slippers. 

He finally shuffles out to the front door with a headache already throbbing behind his eyes at the noise, flinging the door open with a poorly concealed scowl that morphs abruptly into a wide-eyed look of equal parts surprise and confusion as Xion stares back at him. 

“Your blanket.” The guardian says simply, holding said blanket out towards him. His smile is soft, bright, warm and sweet like the fresh Spring air- it makes Geonhak’s heart skip a beat. “Thanks for lending it to me.” 

“Are you sure you don’t need it still?” Geonhak frowns, “Doesn’t it get chilly out there?” 

Xion raises an eyebrow, “No? It’s Spring, not Winter, I’m fine. Besides, I don’t get cold.” 

Geonhak’s eyes meet Xion’s and they both freeze. The flowers that curl around the guardian’s antlers twist and turn, disturbing the light brown curls they poke out from - light brown curls that are streaked with a colour that’s not quite lavender and not quite silver. Somehow, it doesn’t look like dye - the shade matches his eyes too closely, but perhaps it’s only a trick of the morning light as the sun rises. 

Xion clears his throat and pushes the blanket into Geonhak’s arms none too gently. The way he immediately wraps his cloak tighter around his white blouse does not go unnoticed by Geonhak. 

“Are you sure you don’t-” 

“Yes. Yes I’m sure.” Xion interrupts, straightening up his posture before nodding awkwardly. There’s a light dusting of pink across his cheeks, “Have a good day.” 

He turns on his heel and hurries away, footsteps leaving pink sparks against the pavement and little clumps of moss growing between the tiles. It isn’t until he’s closed the door behind him and flung the blanket over the couch that Geonhak realises he had forgotten to put a shirt on. 

**Day 31**

The start of the new month marks the start of the last weeks of Spring, and with it comes the increasing heat as summer approaches. It’s a Sunday morning, the birds are already singing by his window when Geonhak wakes up and gets to cross off yet another day on his calendar. He has just one month remaining of this vacation before he has to go home and prepare himself for another semester of classes. 

He’s just about to sit up in bed when he hears a tapping on his window, a steady knock knock knock until he groans and looks over. A little bird stares back at him, tilting its head from side to side until it's sure that it has his attention before it points with its beak over to the middle of the field and Geonhak squints to figure out what he’s meant to be looking at, ignoring the fact that he’s being directed by a _bird_ of all things. 

Someone sitting in the middle of the field raises their arm and waves. He can’t see who it is but he’s definitely got a good idea- a suspicion that it might be a certain guardian of Spring. 

When he finally makes it outside, two water bottles tucked under a sunscreened arm, Xion is busy staring at something in his hands, holding it up to his face as he mutters angry sounding words in frustration. He turns to pout at Geonhak as he approaches, patting the grass to his right until Geonhak sits down. There’s something else in his gaze, something sharper, almost like a challenge - as if this is all a test of some kind. But then he blinks and the cold stare is replaced by something much softer, much warmer. 

“What took you so long?” Xion asks, turning back to the matter at hand - a chain of daisies, stems looped together, held carefully between his fingertips. 

Geonhak raises an eyebrow, “Did you get a bird to knock on my window? Why?” 

“Too busy to go get you.” Is the answer he gets, “And I’m pretty sure you don’t have anything to do today.” 

_So you_ do _want to be friends,_ is what Geonhak wants to say, the words sitting on the very tip of his tongue as he watches Xion weave the flower stems together. The invisible barrier that had lingered between them throughout their previous encounters, when the guardian had only looked at him with those piercing silver eyes as if judging his soul, had shattered that afternoon in the forest when they had first properly spoken. There’s something _different_ about the way Xion looks at him now, something that Geonhak doesn’t want to risk ruining. 

“What are you working on there?” he asks instead, ignoring the way his heart clenches as Xion’s eyes light up and he holds up the daisy chain in his hands. 

“A crown.” he answers simply, “But my fingers keep slipping, I can’t do it as well as I normally do.” 

There’s a pause. Something sly creeps into Xion’s expression, his silver eyes gleaming as he holds the chain out closer to Geonhak- Geonhak who has begun to realise why the guardian had called him out of his house in the first place. He stares at the flowers, making no move to take them from Xion, trying to at least make an attempt to dig his heels in and not give in. But Xion pouts again, blinking up at Geonhak with those pretty, pretty silver doe eyes. 

He huffs and holds out one of the bottles of water, placing the other one between his crossed legs. 

“Did you call me over here just to make me do your little arts and crafts project _for_ you?” 

And perhaps he should be wary - Xion is still technically a stranger, after all - but there’s something welcoming about the atmosphere around them, about the way Xion peers up at him through his long eyelashes and brown bangs; it taps away at his usual awkwardness and shyness around strangers - he feels comfortable, at ease. 

So when Xion only giggles shyly, laughs into the palm of his hand as he takes the water bottle, Geonhak melts. 

“...Give it here.” He sighs. 

They sit there in silence for what feels like hours as Geonhak twists the daisy stems, attempting to follow the same elaborate pattern that Xion has started while the latter hands him a new flower every so often. It isn’t entirely free from awkwardness, there’s an underlying current of tension there, but it loosens as the seconds tick on. It’s as if they weren’t strangers, but instead were a pair of friends who hadn’t met up in years, unsure of what to say. 

“So..” He finally turns his head to speak, watching for a few seconds as Xion carefully plucks another flower out of the soil, “If you’re a nature guardian or something, shouldn’t you _not_ be pulling up flowers?” 

Xion turns his head dramatically to stare him before gesturing to the grass with his free hand. A little daisy begins to sprout where he points, growing until its petals lean over to rest against his fingertips. 

“Ah. Convenient.” Geonhak nods, pushing his glasses up with a finger as he returns to trying to weave the stems in his hands together. 

Xion hums in agreement, plucking the newly grown daisy and looping the stem over before sliding it onto his finger like a ring. 

“When’s your birthday?” He asks casually, 

“Why?” 

“Just tell me.” 

Geonhak stares at him curiously, amusement and confusion twitching at the corners of his lips. 

“July 26th.” 

Xion nods and holds his hand out, fingers splayed and ghosting over Geonhak’s. The almost-contact sends a little shiver down his spine as he watches. A long and thin branch forms, snaking around the daisy crown in Geonhak’s hands. From the branch, several bougainvillea plants spread out, their small white flowers blooming and dotting across the flower crown. Geonhak’s eyes widen in surprise and he lifts the crown up, moving to place it on Xion’s head until the guardian laughs and pushes his hands away. 

“It’s for you, they’re your birthday flowers.” He explains, then gestures to his own hair, “I can easily make my own.” 

True to his word, although Geonhak can’t see his antlers, he watches as small freesias bloom on little stems that twist and curl around locks of brown and silver hair. Geonhak’s throat has gone dry, his hands a little unsteady as Xion gently takes the flower crown from him and motions for him to duck his head. Up close like this, with flowers blooming around his head like a halo of petals, Xion looks breathtakingly beautiful. Geonhak bows his head and holds his breath as the guardian places the handmade crown on him. 

“Do you do this with every new person in town?” He asks, aiming for a light, maybe teasing tone, but he realises the words come out a little panicked, breathless, revealing how nervous he is. 

Xion clicks his tongue, “Of course not.” he mutters something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like ‘Only with people I like.’ Geonhak doesn’t dare point it out. 

“So what else can you do?” He asks, opening his bottle of water and taking a few quick sips as Xion regards him with a look of surprise. 

“Why?” 

Geonhak sputters for a bit before shrugging, “I’m curious.” _I want to know more about you._ He bites his tongue. 

Xion tilts his head to the side, and Geonhak swears he sees the blades of grass around them bend in the same direction. 

“It’s mostly to do with flowers,” Xion starts, “you know, _Spring_ and all. The weather sometimes too; it can change because of how I feel. I can talk to the animals around here- I mostly just maintain the balance of everything during Spring. If _I’m_ okay, the season is okay.” 

“You’re like a real life Disney princess then, huh?” Geonhak jokes. There’s a moment of silence that follows where fear grips his heart, fear that he’s overstepped, crossed a line, ruined this friendship before it had a chance to begin. But then Xion’s face shifts from shock to what can only be described as pure _joy_ and his eyes are shining so brightly that Geonhak knows it isn’t simply the sun reflecting in them. There are _stars_ in that pretty, pretty silver gaze. He's hit with the impulse, the desire, to hold Xion's hand and make him look like that at him again. 

“Princess Do- Xion. Princess Xion has a nice sound to it, doesn’t it?” Xion laughs, “Maybe I could be the Princess of Spring next year. Ah! But speaking of-” 

As Xion continues to talk, the bright energy of enthusiasm running through every word, Geonhak has to remind himself that with only one month left of his vacation, he has to try his hardest not to fall for the guardian - but he’s pretty sure he’s already falling further and faster than he can stop himself. 

**Day 33**

“So,” Geonhak begins, “you said you wanted to talk.” 

Xion blinks at him over the top of his ice cream sundae, bringing his legs up to fold them beneath himself on the seat. The whirr of the refrigerators in the ice cream parlour rumble around them as Geonhak waits. 

“Ah, did I?” Xion tilts his head as he purses his lips, “I don’t remember.” The cheeky smile he gives Geonhak implies otherwise. 

Geonhak waits a second longer, tapping his spoon against his ice cream before he starts eating - he doesn’t usually like ice cream but Xion had had this spark in his eyes when he’d asked Geonhak to accompany him that he hadn’t been able to resist. 

“You know more about me now, but I still don’t know anything about you.” Xion eventually answers as he digs in. 

“You sure you didn’t just want me to pay for the ice cream?” 

“Well, that too.” Xion laughs, lowering one leg to nudge at Geonhak’s shin, “But c’mon, talk, I wanna know!” 

Geonhak bites his lip, watching Xion for a while longer as he tries to decide where to even _start._

“Well, I’m in college,” He begins, taking a spoonful of ice cream to stall for a second, “I’m majoring in early childhood education if you wanna know.” 

Xion perks up, “Did you think I was a kid? Is that why you gave me your blanket?” 

Geonhak laughs and shakes his head, faintly aware of Xion’s leg swinging beneath the table as the toe of his boot brushes against Geonhak’s shin every few seconds. 

“No, I was just worried because it was cold that day.” 

“You were worried for me?” Xion’s tone is odd, a little restrained, “even though you didn’t know me?” 

Geonhak nods, ducking his head down to eat, “Yeah.” 

When he looks back up, Xion is staring at him with a curious but shy expression, studying him. He can’t tell if the pink on Xion’s cheeks is his makeup or him actually blushing. As Geonhak meets his eyes, there’s a warmth that spreads through his chest- something slow and soft, like the warmth of Spring. There's a magnetism too, but he can't tell if that's due to Xion's magic or simply his own attraction to the guardian. 

“Do you have a favourite ice cream?” Xion breaks their silence. 

“Ah, I’m not really a fan.” 

Xion’s eyes go wide for a second before his brows furrow and he taps his spoon against his sundae cup. 

“You should’ve said so!” 

Geonhak shrugs, not quite wanting to admit that he didn’t- _doesn’t-_ mind coming here if it will make Xion happy. 

“What do you do for fun then?” 

“Uh, I go to the gym, I work out,” Geonhak rolls his shoulders, feels the first flickers of a blush make its way up his neck, “I do a lot of baking too, and cooking.” 

Xion’s eyes are wide in interest, listening intently, and Geonhak can feel the sincerity in it. The guardian nods along as he eats spoonfuls of ice cream, waiting for Geonhak to continue talking. It’s different, Geonhak thinks, he normally can’t talk like this without his shyness getting in the way, but with Xion - his walls melt down. 

“Oh I make music sometimes with a friend of mine, I sing sometimes too, but mostly rap.” 

At that, Xion claps his fingertips together excitedly, leaning forward over the table a little more, his hair - now more of a grey colour than brown - flopping into his eyes as he moves. 

“Can you sing something? Now?” 

Geonhak freezes immediately, shoulders tensing up as he blinks with wide eyes, lips pursing in an almost-pout. Xion giggles and shakes his head quickly. 

“It’s okay, you don’t have to. You’re shy,” Xion nods, “can’t tell that just from looking at you, but that’s cute.” 

Geonhak splutters as the guardian giggles, staring with wide eyes at the sudden compliment. 

“Anyway, so you help your friend make music?” Xion prompts him to continue, scraping his spoon against the rim of his large sundae cup to get all the last remnants of his ice cream. 

"Yeah," he nods, "and another friend of ours studies dance so we collab a lot." 

"That sounds exciting," Xion hums, "So what are you doing here then? Are you like, moving in here?” 

There’s something like hope in Xion’s eyes, shining like stars as he smiles a cute little smile at Geonhak. It's a hope that Geonhak hates that he has to break. 

“No, I’m still studying.” He explains, “I’m just taking a vacation right now - I’ll only be staying here until the end of the month.”

Another pause as his words sink in. 

"Ah, that's something we have in common." 

He tilts his head in confusion. Xion’s eyes are much warmer, less silver, there’s another colour fading in that Geonhak can’t quite place yet. 

"We were both only here for the Spring."

There’s a long silence that follows as those words sink into Geonhak like a stone thrown into a pond as reality finally catches up to him - their time together, as whatever it is they are right now, is fading to an end along with the last weeks of Spring. 

He would like to think that he isn’t imagining the sadness in Xion’s eyes; sadness that he’s sure is mirrored in his own. 

**Day 37**

He lies in bed, staring up at the ceiling and tracing invisible patterns with his eyes over and over. It’s cold but not unpleasant, the curtains are closed over the window and obscuring the moonlight from outside. Ah, insomnia - his brain seems insistent on working the night shift as well. 

It’s futile, he thinks, sighing as he sits up and grabs the other blanket - the one he’d given Xion before - to sling around his shoulders and heads to the kitchen. He stumbles in the dark, only one slipper on as he grimaces and shuffles forward. It isn’t too cold, but the time combined with the darkness outside creates a haze of not quite warmth - like a liminal space manifesting itself around him as he stands there by the sink. He blinks down at the glass of water in his hand, not quite recalling when he’d gotten it, and takes a sip. He’s exhausted, head and eyelids heavy as he stands there, but sleep refuses to come no matter what. He lifts his head and the view of the field outside the kitchen window greets him, a seemingly endless expanse, quiet and peaceful at this hour - perhaps some fresh air would do him some good. 

Once outside, he sits down carefully in the grass and cranes his head back to stare up at the inky sky, dotted with the small lights of stars. They twinkle in and out of view as he watches, blinking down at him like the eyes of the universe, keeping watch over him. There’s a rustling in the grass somewhere off to his side, he should be cautious, wary, but somehow he knows he’ll be fine - the stars are watching. 

He’s startled out of his thoughts as his thigh is nudged gently, looking down in surprise as a pale - white? pink? - rabbit blinks back up at him. Its little paws rest on his thigh as its nose twitches, eyes not breaking contact with Geonhak’s. There’s something familiar about the rabbit, not quite deja vu but close to it - like he’s seen it before but the memory is just out of reach in his mind. 

“Hey,” he whispers, “where’d you come from?” 

The rabbit, of course, doesn’t respond. But it stops staring at him and turns its little head up to watch the stars. Geonhak follows its gaze, leaning back on his hands as he tilts his head back again to look at the sky. The faint warmth of Spring seems to seep through the ground into his hands and through his body, he feels safe, comforted. It’s odd but he’s too tired to question it. 

Eventually he lies down, adjusting his blanket so that he can fold half of it over his chest. His neck aches from how long he’s had it bent back to stare up at the sky and he half expects the rabbit to scamper off as soon as he lies down in the grass. Instead, it steps closer, not quite underneath the blanket but not on top of it. Geonhak giggles a little as he feels its fur against his arm, tickling him as he lays still so as to not spook it. 

“The moon looks nice tonight,” he whispers, afraid to raise his voice any louder. Then he remembers how the rabbit had looked up when he had spoken to it, briefly entertaining the thought that perhaps it had understood him, “The moon, huh. Are you a moon bunny? Is that what you were trying to tell me?” 

He sighs and raises his arms, resting his hands beneath his head as sleep continues to elude him. He feels bare, exposed to the world, but hidden all the same - safe under the cover of the night. Here he isn’t the student everyone knows him to be, here he’s just the odd young adult who frequents the gym most mornings and helps walk Sunny when his owner - Youngjo, Geonhak had finally found out - is busy. Here he can just be. 

The rabbit hops up onto his chest and he lets out a little huff as its paws press against him, moving the blanket so that it covers the rabbit as well. 

“Would you understand?” He asks it softly, “Could you know how it feels? I’m proud of where I am, but there are so many things I wish I could change. I wish I could be who I _want_ to be but it feels so far away, like I’m never gonna get there no matter how hard I try. I like what I’m studying, but sometimes I wonder what would happen if I changed degree.” 

He should be careful around wild animals, but this rabbit relaxes against him and nuzzles close, blinks up at him and taps one of its back paws against him - its nose twitches when he talks, watches, listens- there’s something that feels _human_ about it. He doesn’t understand until he lifts his head up off the grass and meets its gaze - its shining, _silver,_ gaze. 

“You’re one of Xion’s, aren’t you?” He asks. The rabbit, again, does not respond, but it tucks its paws down under its body, loafing itself right on top of him before closing its eyes. And Geonhak is left alone with his thoughts - though now, they focus on Xion. 

Throughout their encounters this week, their interactions, no matter how small - whether it's their short conversations while in line at the same coffee shop or waving to each other from across the field - Geonhak finds himself holding onto each one, seeking them out. It dawns on him then, far too late, that there is no way he can undo just how much he likes Xion. But he can’t- he _can’t_ like Xion like this, he can’t get attached to the way he smiles, the way he laughs, the way he’ll poke and prod and tease but ultimately looks at Geonhak with those pretty doe eyes filled with care and concern when he stays up too late and playfulness and something _more_ \- something that Geonhak can’t let himself hope is there. Because it will only make the end of Spring all the more painful. 

He falls asleep in the grass, denying, denying, denying that he’s falling for Xion. 

**Day 38**

The first thing he notices when he wakes up is a heavy weight on his chest. The second is that the heavy weight is also very warm- and it’s a person - there’s someone sleeping on him, and his hand is in their hair- His blanket is wrapped over the both of them and he has to lift his head and shoulders up off the ground in order to get a look at who has made his chest their bed. He gets a glimpse of familiar grey-brown hair and his breath catches in his throat. 

Geonhak tenses up, suddenly awake, and tries to make as little noise as possible. Xion groans, rubbing at the side of his neck as he tries to blink himself awake. He lifts up off of Geonhak’s chest just enough to look around before he flops back down, pressing his cheek to the other’s chest and pulling the blanket tighter over his body. 

“Xion?”

“No. I’m a ghost.” The guardian deadpans back immediately, attempting to bury his face further into Geonhak’s chest instead of waking up. “Why are you such a morning person, ugh.” 

“It’s a nice morning.” Geonhak lazily brings one hand up to pat Xion’s head, not having the heart to sit up yet. 

“It’s cold.” 

“I thought you said you don’t get cold.” Geonhak can’t help but tease. 

Xion groans again and slaps Geonhak’s chest before sitting up. He glares as he tugs on the blanket, pulling it out from beneath Geonhak and wrapping it around himself as he rubs the sleep from his eyes. 

“So, you were that rabbit, huh?” 

Xion nods sleepily, eyes half-lidded as he watches Geonhak push himself up into a sitting position. His hair is a mess, fluffing up with stray strands that he sweeps out of his eyes and huffs in frustration as they fall back down. It’s a rare sight - to see Xion in such a relaxed state, even in their casual meetings he keeps his guard up, watches Geonhak with careful eyes. He’s shivering now though, even with the blanket around his shoulders and his attempts to hide and still himself, he rubs his hands together as Geonhak stands up. 

“You wanna come back inside?” Geonhak asks, holding a hand out in offer, “Get warmed up?” 

Xion takes his hand and stands up but doesn’t answer yet. 

“I’ll make you hot chocolate?” 

That gets the guardian’s full attention and he nods eagerly. Geonhak laughs and tries to ignore the butterflies in his stomach when Xion doesn’t let go of his hand as they make their way to the house. 

<< ☽ >>

It’s a little warmer when they step inside and Geonhak gestures to the couch for Xion to take a seat while he heads for the kitchen. He watches as the guardian walks, the first rays of sunlight streaming in through the window and casting a shadow on the floor. 

Xion’s antlers aren’t visible, he’s wearing a soft off-white knit sweater and what appears to be fluffy pyjama pants. His _shadow,_ however, stands tall and dark, trailing after him in a flowing gown with large antlers that curve and flicker along the wooden floor. What takes Geonhak’s breath away the most though, is the shadow of large wings that spread from Xion’s back - ornate and sweeping, shape reminiscent of a swallowtail butterfly, with crescent moons in the centre of the forewings. He quickly turns away before Xion can catch him staring and busies himself with preparing a mug of hot chocolate. 

“Are we friends?” Xion’s voice breaks the silence a few minutes later. 

Geonhak pauses where he’s pouring milk into the mug, he turns around and blinks at Xion. 

“I thought we were,” he answers honestly, “I’d hope so, yeah.” 

Xion only nods, taking the offered hot chocolate carefully with one hand as he holds the blanket over his shoulders with the other. He gives Geonhak a sleepy smile over the rim of the cup and mumbles out a soft ‘thank you’. The wings of his shadow flutter - from nerves? Shyness? Tiredness? Geonhak can only wonder. 

“So… _are_ we?” He asks, “friends, I mean.” 

“Yes,” Xion answers, takes a long sip, his eyes curve into crescent moons for a moment as he smiles wider, “I like you. I like being your friend.” 

In less than a month, Geonhak may never see Xion ever again. He can’t let himself fall in love, but maybe the inevitable pain and separation will be bearable, because the way Xion looks at him now, with all the light and warmth in his eyes makes it all worth it. 

**Day 39**

Xion’s legs kick out a little every few seconds, as if in an attempt to swing them while he sits on a short tree stump. Geonhak sits on the forest floor beside him, holding onto the container of kimbap as he watches Xion sew shut a rip in one of his blouses. It’s a nice afternoon, quiet, peaceful. The perfect time for him to overestimate how much food he could eat and thus be left with too much - thankfully, the guardian hadn’t been too difficult to find. Geonhak had found him easily, sitting just on the edge of the forest with his legs extended to lie on the grass of the field, and his eyes had sparkled at the mention of free food. 

Xion chews slowly, hunched over his sewing needle as his brows furrow from concentration. His focus is admirable, Geonhak thinks, and more than just a little adorable in the way he huffs and pouts to himself when he messes up a stitch by a mere millimetre. 

“Are you sure you’ve eaten enough?” Xion pipes up, only glancing over at Geonhak for a second before looking down again. 

Geonhak sighs, “Yes, I’m sure.” 

“Ahh.” 

Geonhak stifles a laugh as he obediently places another piece into Xion’s mouth, failing to hold back a snicker as a few grains of rice drop down onto the sleeve of his blouse. 

“Messy eater.” He remarks, snickering even more when Xion glares. There’s no malice to it, no harshness. 

His eyes are warmer, the silver colour almost entirely faded away as something brighter seeps in - gold, Geonhak realises as he stares, Xion’s eyes are turning gold. There are less flowers around his antlers too, more vines and leaves than petals that twist around and around and sway in the wind. The afternoon passes without event, only comfortable silence. They’re _friends,_ Geonhak has to remind himself, still unsure whether or not this is all a dream that his mind has conjured up out of his wishful thinking. 

The guardian lets out a cute yell of triumph as he finishes his sewing, swallowing the final piece of kimbap as he stands up and brushes off stray leaves that had fallen into his lap. Geonhak takes that as his cue to leave as well, following suit and standing up while humming. 

“It looks good.” He comments. 

“Yeah?” Xion smiles widely, “I did a good job fixing this one up.” he pivots on his heel but turns to look back over his shoulder. 

“Thank you for the food,” He giggles, “and for keeping me company.” 

“Anytime.” 

Xion takes a step deeper into the forest, then another, then just as Geonhak is turning to walk towards the exit he stumbles, one leg giving out as he reaches a hand out to brace himself against a tree. Geonhak is next to him in an instant, one hand on his back between his shoulder blades and the other hand carefully wrapped around his arm to steady him. 

“I’m fine,” Xion says quickly, “don’t worry. I just, uh, must have tripped over something. I’ll be okay!” 

Xion stumbles once more as he starts walking again, but all Geonhak can do is watch him disappear into the trees with concern weighing on his heart. 

**Day 42**

Geonhak sighs to himself as he walks out of the gym just before midday, having spent most of his morning inside desperately trying to return to his usual routine. There’s an odd haze on the street, not quite a fog, but something strange in the air, a little sinister. He brushes it off as just sleep deprivation mixed with the intense workout he just finished and takes another sip from his water bottle. 

He hears a familiar voice down the street and is pleasantly surprised to see Youngjo standing there talking to Xion. He’s holding the hand of someone with bright orange hair and two pairs of sunglasses - one sitting on his nose and the other perched atop his head - and his other hand holds onto Sunny’s leash while the little dog sniffs around their ankles. Geonhak is far too tired and shy to walk over and greet them despite how friendly and approachable he remembers Youngjo being, so he takes a seat on a nearby bench instead, giving himself a moment to catch his breath again after his workout. 

He doesn’t quite get that chance, however, as Xion spots him and calls his name out enthusiastically. He watches as the guardian says his goodbyes to the couple, smile bright and wide on his cute face as he waves at Geonhak. Youngjo and the person with orange hair continue on their way with Sunny running ahead, excitement overflowing from his small fluffy body. Geonhak’s attention is instantly on Xion though as the guardian _limps_ over, still smiling - but the way his face twitches as he holds back grimaces does not go unnoticed by Geonhak. 

“Hey?” He says when Xion reaches him, “Xion, are you okay?” 

Xion only nods and waves his hand in a vague gesture dismissively, “I’m _fine,_ seriously don’t worry about me, I just slept on my leg funny last night. You should be more worried about _yourself_ actually.” 

Geonhak tilts his head in confusion, pouting when Xion tilts his head in the same direction just to tease him. 

“You left _this,”_ Xion holds out a familiar looking bus fare card, “in the forest the other day, I think it must have fallen out of your pocket.” 

“Oh!” Is all Geonhak can say at first as he takes his card back, struggling to ignore the way his fingers brush against Xion’s for a split second, “Thanks, I was wondering where I’d put that.” 

Xion nods in understanding, “I was just asking Youngjo if he’d seen you actually, but I remembered you said you go to the gym as a hobby so I thought I’d check there next.” 

“You remembered,” Geonhak can’t help the smile that spreads across his face, painfully aware of how dorky he must look, “I actually just finished up my workout there.” 

Xion nods again, “Knew it. Anyway, I gotta go finish up some errands so,” he grins, “I’ll see you around!” 

Then, just before he limps away down the street, Xion lifts a hand to pat Geonhak’s cheek a few times as he giggles. Geonhak feels heat rise up his face as he stands there in stunned silence for a few seconds before he finally starts walking again, his cheek tingling the entire time. 

**Day 47**

It’s late at night, Geonhak has just finished brushing his teeth when there comes a knocking at his door. He sighs, having become used to Xion’s occasional visits, but the knocking doesn’t stop - if anything, it becomes more desperate. He quickly finishes washing his face and makes his way to the door, swinging it open but entirely unprepared for Xion to fall forward into his arms. 

“Xion?” 

The guardian groans and winces in pain as he steadies himself on his feet. When Geonhak glances down, his breath catches in his throat as he gets a glimpse of red seeping through the white fabric of Xion’s pants. He doesn’t ask anymore questions, scooping the guardian up in his arms as he kicks the front door closed and takes him to the couch. He doesn’t even have to say a word before Xion is rolling his pants down just enough to expose the scratch marks on his thigh, jagged and scabbed over in most areas but the red that drips tells him the wounds reopened recently. 

“Wait here.” Geonhak says, as if Xion has any choice but to stay still while he rushes to the bathroom to grab the first aid kit. 

He returns with a bottle of water in hand as well, being careful in how he goes about cleaning the wound. Xion doesn’t say anything, only sits there breathing through his teeth with his fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles have gone white. 

“What happened?” Geonhak whispers. 

“It’s fine.” Xion answers but his voice is strained, “It’s just a scratch.” A sharp inhale. “But there was magic.” 

“Is this why you’ve been limping?” 

Xion nods, “It’s fine, really, it is. But I was walking back home and it just.. Opened again and-” his voice wavers, “and I didn’t know who else to go to, your house was the closest.” 

“Xion,” Geonhak’s voice shakes as well as he does his best to stop the flow of blood. Unhelpful panic is beginning to rise in him, pushing aside his concern to make room for itself. “Xion I can’t deal with _magic_ I- what do you need me to do? What can I do to help?” 

The guardian shakes his head, “I know, I know, I can take care of that part myself. I just need it to get cleaned and bandaged again.” 

His eyes finally open and meet Geonhak’s, startling him for a second as he meets with a burning golden gaze. It’s magnetic - as it always is with Xion - and so full of pain that it makes his heart ache. 

Cleaning and bandaging, he can do that, he knows how to do that. 

“Okay.” He says, more to himself than to Xion, “Okay I’m going to disinfect it first, just in case.” 

He places the first aid kit on the ground beside him, taking out what he needs as he kneels down to be eye level with the wound. Xion’s breathing has evened out somewhat and his fingers are gripping the edge of the couch cushions now. 

“Do you need something to hold onto? This might sting a bit.” Geonhak holds out his other arm as he dips a cotton swab into antiseptic and holds it over the wound. 

Xion grabs his arm firmly, holding it for a few seconds until Geonhak drops his gaze to the task at hand. He’s just started to swipe the antiseptic over the scratch when he yelps as Xion tugs on his arm and sinks his teeth into his wrist. He stares at the guardian, affronted and in a mix of anger and shock. Xion only sniffles at him but doesn’t let go. 

“It stung.” Is his only explanation. 

Geonhak scowls at him, an expression that must look amusing on his face because Xion only laughs in response, some light returning to his golden eyes as he relaxes back into the couch. His fingers run over the lingering imprint of his teeth, rubbing the mark soothingly as Geonhak finishes up the cleaning of his wound. His fingers are warm, so warm, as they trail up along his arm towards his elbow and then back down towards his hand. It’s impossibly tender and awfully distracting as Geonhak feels himself becoming flustered at how close they are. 

“I’m gonna need that hand back to bandage you up.” He whispers, tugging at his arm gently. 

Xion pauses for a moment, smirking as he meets Geonhak’s eyes again as he brings his hand to his face and presses a soft kiss to his knuckles. 

“I can bandage myself,” He whispers back, “but could I have some hot tea?” 

Geonhak stares. Xion stares back. He tries to resist, tries to dig his heels in, but when Xion’s pretty, pretty lips curl up into his heart-shaped smile he can only smile back and nod silently. 

When he returns with a steaming mug between his hands, Xion has laid himself down horizontally across the couch, the first aid kit all tidied and zipped up and his pants rolled back up as well as he watches Geonhak’s movements. He sits up slowly and takes the tea, holding the mug up to his face as he blows on it softly. Geonhak feels the concern that’s been steadily bubbling up within him all week boil over, overflowing as his eyebrows furrow and he stares at Xion’s thigh where he knows the scratch is. 

“You weren’t fine,” He starts, “you should’ve said something, you- what if it was more serious.” 

He huffs, ready to continue with his rambling when he glances up and sees the wide eyed look that Xion is giving him. There’s something soft there, hidden behind a layer of confusion and surprise. He sips his tea carefully, his eyes never once leaving Geonhak’s face. The emotion there is plain and obvious, written all over his face, but Geonhak is far too tired to even begin to decipher it. All he notices is the way Xion’s eyes fixate on him, blinking slowly, and the way his fingers tap against the mug - a short rhythm over and over - and the way he tilts his head to the side while he bites on his lower lip. 

“You were worried.” Xion whispers, as if he can’t quite believe it. “You’re- You’re worried about me?” 

“Of course I am.” Geonhak frowns, taking a seat on the other couch across from Xion. He’s not sure if he really sees the disappointment that briefly flashes across the guardian’s face as he sits down or if he’d imagined it. 

Xion takes a deep breath in, drinking more of his tea in large gulps before he speaks again. 

“Could I stay the night?” He asks, “Please?” 

Geonhak is already nodding before he’s finished his question. 

They sit together in the rapidly darkening night, the silence punctuated only by the insistent ticking of the clock on the wall until Xion places the empty mug of his finished tea on the coffee table with a soft thunk. He lies back down on the couch and yawns, covering his mouth with one hand as he stretches his other arm above his head. Geonhak sighs and stands up, stepping around the coffee table with ease in order to reach down and scoop Xion up into his arms again, carrying him out of the living room and into the bedroom. 

“Wha-”

“You’re injured.” Geonhak says simply, “There’s no way I’m letting you take the couch like this - you’re getting the bed.” 

He waits until the guardian has tucked himself in, staring up at him with those pretty, pretty wide eyes glowing and golden, before he turns the light off and makes his way back to the couch. Exhaustion sinks in immediately and he falls asleep with the image of Xion’s soft gaze at the forefront of his mind. 

When he wakes up, the house is silent and the sunlight streams in through the window directly onto his face. The events of the previous night flood back into his mind as he blinks himself awake, squinting through the sunlight to check the time with the clock on the wall. He makes his way to the bedroom as quickly as he can, but when he opens the door to check on Xion, all he sees is a beautiful freesia flower left on his pillow. 

**Day 48**

It’s just after midday when there comes a rhythmic knocking on the front door and Geonhak groans to himself as he rubs his neck and walks over. He isn’t surprised to see Xion standing there, looking at him expectantly and with a touch of something shy and possibly embarrassed in his eyes. What he _is_ surprised to see is a little gift box in Xion’s hands, held out towards him, with a big red bow stuck on top. He shakes it a little in Geonhak’s face, growing more impatient the longer Geonhak just stands there in confusion and shock. 

“What is this?” he finally finds his voice to ask. 

“A gift.” 

“I mean what’s _inside?”_

Xion’s mouth flattens out into a line as he stares, “Well if you take it and open it, you’ll find out.” He does his best to look exasperated but he bounces on his toes excitedly, vines and flowers freely growing and blooming around his wrists. 

Geonhak stares the box warily as he takes it, prying open the lid with little effort required. His eyes go wide when he sees the beautiful assortment of flowers - lilac crocuses, pink camellias, a few pansies grouped in the corner, and a large peony. Nestled beneath the petals sits a bar of chocolate wrapped in gold foil - he faintly recognises the brand. 

“It’s a good chocolate, don’t worry.” Xion reassures him after a few seconds of silence pass, “I remember you don’t like super sweet things and you can’t stand bitter things so, this chocolate should be perfect - it’s right in the middle.” 

Geonhak can feel his shoulders relax, practically melting on the spot as he carefully places the lid of the box beneath it, upturned so that he can place the entire package on the table later. The confusion returns a minute later, accompanied by a dash of suspicion. 

“What’s this for?” 

Xion takes a sudden interest in his pointed white boots before he takes a deep breath and lifts his head to meet Geonhak’s eyes again with his golden gaze, bright and glowing like the sun, and he taps at his leg with the palm of his hand. 

“It’s a thank you gift,” he explains softly, “for, you know, helping me, patching me up. You’ve done so many nice things for me, I wanted to be able to give you something too.” 

“I- You didn’t have to.” Geonhak tilts his head and smiles, “but thank you, this is really sweet of you, Xion.” 

The guardian takes another deep breath, expression conflicted until he shakes his head and smiles, as if having made up his mind about something. 

“Dongju.” He says, “You can- I want you to call me Dongju, that’s my name.” 

“Okay,” Geonhak responds, a little breathless and unable to stop himself from mirroring Xi- _Dongju’s_ smile. “Thank you, Dongju, I really like the gift.” 

The name tastes sweet on his tongue, but not as sweet as the smile Dongju gives him as it spreads wider and curls up into his adorable heart shaped grin. 

**Day 50**

Geonhak huffs to himself as he tries to find enough spare change in his wallet. Thankfully, the employee at the convenience store - Seoho, his name tag reads - waits patiently, his orange hair flopping around as he bobs his head to the pop song blaring from the speakers behind him. Geonhak recognises him as the one he had seen with Youngjo a week ago but he figures this maybe isn't the best time to mention it while he’s standing there fumbling. 

"No rush," Seoho chirps, "but it's probably best not to keep him waiting, you know." 

Geonhak raises an eyebrow as he finally slides a coin across the counter along with a few crumpled notes. Seoho only laughs and gestures with a nod outside the door. Geonhak turns his head in time to the chime of the cash register as Seoho puts the money away and has to squint to figure out who it is he’s talking about. There, standing just outside the sliding glass doors with what looks to be an iced americano in hand is Dongju, doing his best to act casual and not as if he had been staring and waiting for Geonhak to be done with his purchase. Seoho laughs again as Geonhak turns back with a sigh, holding onto his receipt for a little longer as he uses it to point towards the guardian outside. 

“You know, he’s warmed up to you really quickly.” Seoho muses, tilting his head in thought. “A lot quicker than he did to a lot of other people here.” 

Geonhak’s hand pauses mid-reach for his receipt, “Really? Me?” 

“Yeah,” Seoho nods, holding the receipt even further away, “And he won’t stop talking about you whenever he comes over to Youngjo and I’s place. He likes you a lot, you know.” 

He sighs and finally slides the receipt across the counter, “Anyway, tell him I said hi and he left petals all over the living room after his dramatic moment yesterday.” 

Geonhak has barely any time to process those words, nevertheless respond or question them, when Seoho is already greeting the next customer to walk through the doors and shooing Geonhak away with a hand. His other hand combs through his orange hair, slowly and carefully, fingertips brushing aside a specific area that reveals the dark point of what looks like a horn, normally obscured by his hair. Geonhak is about to brush it off as an accident, or something he wasn’t supposed to see - if he had even _really_ seen it and hadn’t just imagined it - but Seoho catches his eyes and grins, just a little too pointed and wide to be fully human and Geonhak suddenly realises that there is much, _much,_ more to this little countryside town than he realised. 

Dongju is tapping his foot impatiently when Geonhak reaches him, sipping from his coffee. 

“Hey Dongju,” He resists the urge to roll his eyes as Dongju puts on a little act - pretending to be surprised to see him. “Fancy meeting you right here.” 

Dongju grins around his straw, nibbling at the plastic absentmindedly, “I should’ve told you my name sooner, I like how it sounds when you say it.” 

They fall into step beside each other, heading in the same direction - Geonhak back to the house and Xion back to his forest. It’s a warm day, not too unpleasant, and the smell of flowers reaches him from all around town. The sun shines down on them at an angle that illuminates Dongju’s hair - no longer brown but instead a light colour that looks like silver, or perhaps lavender from some angles. His eyes have changed too, gone is the piercing silver, fading away to be replaced by burning gold like ichor. 

“Your hair changed,” Geonhak swings his shopping bag idly by his side, “and your eyes.”

Dongju nods, taking a loud sip from his coffee as the straw rattles the ice cubes around. 

“Is that another Spring guardian thing?” 

That gets him a snort of amusement in response and a shrug. Dongju smiles, glancing at him from the side. 

“It happens, my hair is silver for the rest of the year, even when I wake up at the end of Winter in the cold. Then my eyes go silver when my hair goes brown.” He explains, “I’m always asleep through Summer and Autumn so I only know what I look like during Spring and I don’t think anything changes like this for the other guardians.” 

“You sleep until Winter?”

“Until the _end_ of Winter,” Dongju corrects gently, “but it’s so cold that I don’t really do much until the start of Spring. It means I always want more sun, especially towards the end of Spring as Summer comes.”

He grins and bumps his shoulder against Geonhak’s. 

“That’s why you saw me on the grass so much - I want to- I _like_ to soak up as much sun as I can.” His voice goes soft, shy, he bites his lip before continuing. “I try to take in as much heat as I can before I go back to sleep but… I haven’t needed it as much this year.” 

They stop outside the front door of the house Geonhak is staying in. He fumbles for his keys, fingers digging around in his pockets while Dongju watches on with amusement. He huffs as the guardian giggles, finally managing to unlock his door before he turns to ask one more question. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Huh?”

“You said you haven’t needed the sun as much this year?” 

“Oh!” Dongju places a hand, cold and wet from the condensation of his iced coffee, on Geonhak’s arm and squeezes lightly, “I don’t need the sun as much this year because I’ve had you.” 

He doesn’t elaborate, simply turning on his heel as if he hasn’t just left Geonhak’s head spinning with thoughts and emotions and the lingering smell of lavender as he walks away, heads back to his forest. This is just one of many pieces of the puzzle that is the Spring guardian that Geonhak has slowly pieced together, just one more thing he didn’t know about him before - placed alongside his friendship with Youngjo and Seoho, and the gradual change of his hair and eyes. But, he realises, he’s okay not knowing everything. It means there will always be another layer of Dongju for him to peel back, another thread to unravel, another mystery to the guardian and this countryside town for him to solve. 

There’s only one week left. 

Deep down he knows he has to accept it - accept that they will part ways at the end of the month and it _hurts_ to know that every smile Dongju gives him, every laugh, every careful glance, is just another detail that he’ll have to memorise. But as he watches Dongju make his way home, across the threshold that separates their two worlds, Geonhak smiles to himself. It’s crushing, disappointing, devastating - makes him impossibly sad that they will have to part. But he’s grateful they got to meet in the first place, and that, he thinks, will have to be enough. 

**Day 59**

Geonhak stands on the balcony of the town hall, it isn’t quite as crowded as the rest of the town just below as everyone waits for the start of the festival. He licks his lips nervously and keeps his eyes on the sky - Dongju had smiled so sweetly at him, stars in his eyes, as he asked him to attend the yearly festival with fireworks made from a combination of the magic from both Spring and Summer guardians. It’s why Geonhak stands here now, waiting, but he hasn’t caught a glimpse of Dongju yet. 

Until a van rolls up, parking right beside the cafe next door and four people carrying various instruments pile out. He watches as one of them holds out a keytar towards one of the townsfolk who takes it eagerly and then he spots Dongju rushing over, waving excitedly at the band. 

He takes a deep breath to steady himself. It’s his final night here and the second last night of the month - and of Spring. It’s a surprisingly hot evening as he shrugs off his jacket, folding it over an arm as he leans forward against the railing. There are some other festival-goers stepping in and out of the town hall and the balcony where he stands, sipping on flutes of champagne that he had politely declined himself. He hears loud whispering followed by footsteps that echo away from him as the balcony suddenly clears out, leaving him as the sole spectator of the skies from the vantage point. He doesn’t question it but he _is_ confused - until he hears the shift and rustle of leaves and sees bright green vines rising up out of the corner of his eye. 

Dongju only gives him a cheeky grin as he holds onto the vines of his own creation, growing them from down below on the pavement and using them as a way to raise himself up to the balcony to join Geonhak. He’s wearing a light - it might be pink or it might be blue, Geonhak can’t distinguish the colours in this dim light - jumpsuit with what appears to be a line of jewels down one side and he has a blazer slung over his shoulder. Dongju’s boots click as he steps over, jerking his head to get his hair out of his face - it’s been styled up, exposing most of his forehead, and with pretty clips along the fringe line on one side. 

“Sorry I took a bit, had to say hi to my twin’s band.” He stands beside Geonhak, folding his blazer over one arm as if to mimic him. 

“Your twin?” Geonhak repeats, “Is he a Spring guardian too?” 

Dongju shakes his head, “He’s the Summer guardian! He just woke up a few days ago and we’ve been working hard on the fireworks 'til now.” 

“And he has a band... wow.” Geonhak’s gaze travels over to where they’re getting set up, watching as the guitarist and bassist begin to tune their instruments. “I’ll have to check them out sometime.” 

“Cool, right?” Dongju’s eyes are shining again when Geonhak turns back to look at him, “They’re called MAS 0094, I’m kinda like their manager sometimes. Oh! And they have a song called ‘End of Spring’ so it’s kind of a tradition to have them play at this festival every year.” 

“Do they not live here too? I saw them arrive in their van.” 

“They used to live here but they recently signed with a company so they had to move to be closer to the recording studio and everything.” Dongju explains, “They always come back here for Summer though.” 

The music begins and they both turn to watch, Geonhak tries to listen intently, to pay attention only to the band, but Dongju steps closer to him until his chest is pressed to Geonhak’s arm and all his focus goes immediately to that point of contact. When the song ends, his and Dongju’s cheering and clapping is almost immediately drowned out by the enthusiasm of the crowd that has gathered around the band’s stage. Geonhak turns to face Dongju again, hoping his blush at their close proximity isn’t too obvious. 

“Thanks for telling me about this,” He says, “and for inviting me.” 

The smile Dongju gives him in return is soft as he slowly places an arm around Geonhak’s waist. 

“Of course,” He replies, “I mean, why wouldn’t I?” 

“I thought you didn’t like me for a while.” Geonhak admits, turning his whole body so that he’s shoulder to shoulder with the guardian again. 

“Why?”

“A lot of reasons, but you seemed kinda pissed off that the trees let me into the forest that time I was walking Sunny.” 

“Oh.” There’s a pause and then Dongju lets out a loud laugh, holding his hand over his mouth as he shakes his head, “It’s because I liked you more than I wanted to admit, and the forest- I don’t... _entirely_ control it, I _influence_ it. If it let you in, it was because deep down I trusted you and liked you enough to let you in.” 

Dongju bites his lip, his hand leaving Geonhak’s waist and leaving him missing the warmth already. The guardian takes a half step away to the side, cheeks visibly flushing a little darker under the bright lights of the festival. 

“I’ve said too much.” He mutters. 

Geonhak grins and takes the chance to slide his own arm around Dongju’s waist, pulling him back in closer. 

“You _like_ me.” He teases in a singsong voice. 

Dongju glares and bares his teeth, biting the air a few times in warning. Geonhak laughs and bites his lip before looking back up at the night sky. 

“I like you too.” 

_“You like me.”_ Dongju parrots back at him mockingly, teasing him with not a single hint of malice in his voice, only poorly veiled giggles. “I know.” 

Geonhak freezes. 

“You _know?”_

Dongju laughs harder, “I’ve been flirting with you for a whole month but you just wouldn’t _get it._ I tried to be more obvious just last week when I told you I didn’t need the sun because I had you, that was the _cheesiest_ thing I’ve ever said, it _hurt_ my soul to say that and you _still_ didn’t know I liked you too?” 

His arm snakes back around Geonhak’s waist as the latter blinks, his heart racing as his mind goes through a thousand thoughts a second. Dongju knows. Dongju knows that he likes him. Dongju _likes him back._

He isn’t entirely sure he’s awake and not dreaming right now. 

The loud start of the fireworks snaps him out of his stunned state and he watches as the bright colours fill the sky. Dongju, thankfully, stops teasing him in order to watch as well but Geonhak’s attention starts to stray. He can’t help but stare at Dongju, tracing over his profile with his eyes and committing it all to memory - the brightness in his eyes, the angle of his nose, the way his lips form his heart-shaped smile, the coloured lights that shine on him and illuminate him with their rainbow. 

He wishes he could capture this moment forever, stay in it, live in it. Just him and Dongju beneath the night sky bursting with colour, and with the music of the band playing, the lyrics about the beautiful memories drawing to a close along with the end of spring flowing around him. At some point, Dongju had withdrawn his arm again to rest both his hands on the railing as he leans forward to stare at the fireworks. Geonhak knows he should be watching the show too, watch the sparks dance across the sky - a combination of the magic and hard work of both Spring and Summer guardians - but this sight before him, Dongju with an expression of pure joy on his beautiful face, is far more beautiful than any firework could ever hope to be. 

The guardian turns to face him, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a smirk as he catches Geonhak staring. He just smiles back, unashamed, and reaches out to hold Dongju’s hand in his. It’s a perfect moment, he thinks, and he knows he’ll be reliving this in his dreams for the rest of the year. Dongju smiles back, pressing their arms against each other as he intertwines their fingers. His rings are cold against Geonhak’s hand but he doesn’t care - this is all he wants; just this moment, just Dongju. 

Dongju shuffles closer as the fireworks continue, fingers still tightly gripping Geonhak's. He lets out a sigh of content and leans his head to the side, resting it on Geonhak's shoulder. It's warm, warm and comfortable and almost bittersweet. With the bright lights above, the final hours of his time here draw closer and closer. Geonhak thanks whatever deities are out there for this chance he's gotten these past two months. 

This is their last night together and here with Dongju’s warmth beside him and their hands clasped together tightly - as if the other will disappear if they let go - Geonhak wouldn’t choose to spend it any other way. 

**Day 60**

Geonhak meets Dongju at the edge of the forest, between their two worlds, between day and night. There’s a heavy weight to the air, a sombre tone that hangs over them even as Dongju tries to smile at him. His suitcase feels cold at his side and he holds out his blanket to the guardian before the words can get choked up and stuck in his throat. 

“For you.” He says, and Dongju takes it slowly, fingers running over the soft material as he glances up in confusion. 

"Your blanket?" Dongju fixes his gaze on it in his arms, "Is this.. your goodbye gift for me?" 

He appears to shrink in on himself, chewing on his lip as he takes a half step back. Geonhak takes a deep breath, and lets go of the worries holding him down. 

"I'll come back for it." 

Dongju's head snaps up to stare at him. 

"Next Spring," Geonhak continues, "I'll be back for it, so take care of it for me until then."

The warmth of hope floods into Dongju's golden eyes at the promise. 

"You're gonna come back just for the blanket?" He asks coyly. 

Geonhak smiles, slow and sweet, cupping Dongju's cheek with one hand. 

"And for you, of course, but I thought that was a given." 

Dongju grins, "I wanted you to say it. Actually, I have something for you as well."

He holds out a hand, fingers curled over his palm as he holds it up towards the sky. He closes his eyes and mutters a word under his breath before he turns his hand over and waits. Geonhak’s brows furrow as he holds his hand out, beneath Dongju’s, confused but awaiting the guardian’s explanation. Something small drops into his open palm, something small and round and wrapped in soft white fabric. It feels delicate but heavy, as if its size betrays the true depth of its importance. 

"What is it?" 

"A surprise." Dongju answers. 

That hardly answers Geonhak's question. He holds it carefully in his hands. 

"A piece of Spring to keep immortal as the leaves fall, even when the Winter comes. Until the flowers bloom again.” 

He blinks up at Dongju, feeling his heart melt in his chest. Dongju blushes and huffs, doing his best to act nonchalant but failing. He hugs the blanket closer to his chest with one arm, the other reaching out so that he can fold Geonhak’s fingers closed over the gift. 

“Plant it when you get home,” He says softly, his golden gaze meets Geonhak’s, “and.. think of me.” 

“I will.” He says sincerely, already knowing where he’ll place the pot after he plants the seed. 

Geonhak takes a step forward as he places the seed into the pocket of his shirt. Dongju watches him with an intensity that rivals the intensity of how he had stared at Geonhak two months ago when he’d first arrived. Geonhak loves it, he loves Dongju. He reaches out, his touch featherlight against the guardian’s chin as he takes a deep breath. He sees Dongju’s eyes flutter down to stare at his lips, so fast he would have missed it if he wasn’t looking for it, waiting for it. 

“Can I kiss you?” 

Dongju has the audacity to laugh at him, because of course he does, even as he steps forward to close the distance between them. 

“I’ve been waiting a month for you to kiss me.” He grins, “Don’t disappoint me, Geonhakkie.” 

Their lips meet in a kiss that disperses the butterflies in Geonhak’s stomach, replacing them with the comfort of Spring, laced with the warmth of Summer. Dongju grips the front of his shirt, pulling him almost impossibly close. It ends far too soon as Dongju pulls away, still hugging the blanket to his chest as he smiles up at Geonhak. 

“Come with me.” He blurts out, “Come back home with me.” 

Dongju’s smile widens but he shakes his head, licking his lips as his fingers toy with the soft fabric of the blanket. He unfolds it carefully, shaking it out before flinging it over his shoulders like a cape. His silver hair shimmers in the sun, not nearly as harsh or cold as the silver glare he had during Spring. He looks ethereal as he reaches out to trail a finger over Geonhak’s cheekbone and down his jaw. Ethereal and- untouchable, unreachable, already so far away even if the distance between them is only a few centimetres. 

“I can’t go with you,” He whispers. 

"I'll see you next year then, I promise." Geonhak whispers back. 

Dongju grins his adorable cheeky grin, "I'll be waiting."

He rises up to place a soft and fleeting kiss to Geonhak’s lips, humming with satisfaction as he steps back and grins, his lips curling up into the shape of a heart before he turns away and enters the forest. The trees part for him and close up again as he passes through, as if he were never there, and closing off his world to Geonhak. 

<< ☽ >>

It’s twilight as the bus rolls out of the countryside town where he was staying for his vacation for the past two months, the sun casting a warm orange glow through the window until he turns his head to glance out. 

His gaze meets that of a deer. A deer with soft golden eyes that seem to bore holes in his soul and he relaxes in his seat. There’s something about that gaze that melts away the ice of his worries, warming him and melting his heart in his chest. A faint echo of longing pulses through his chest and his lips tingle. It feels like a farewell; a final goodbye as they part ways for the summer. 

Geonhak reaches a hand up to his shirt pocket, fingers running over the shape of Dongju’s gift, and he smiles at the guardian through the window. He’ll be back, he knows, when the flowers bloom again.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading this all the way through! 
> 
> you can find me here  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/jjxneus) ♡ [cc](https://curiouscat.me/jjxneus)


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